Polymeric films with conductive material patterns have a variety of commercial applications. In some applications, it is desirable to have a conductive grid being invisible or nearly invisible to the unaided eye and supported on a transparent polymeric substrate. Transparent conductive sheets have applications for resistively heated windows, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding layers, static dissipating components, antennas, touch screens for computer displays, and surface electrodes for electrochromic windows, photovoltaic devices, electroluminescent devices and liquid crystal displays.
Substrates having patterned features have been described. Patterning of micron scale features on substrates based on photolithographic techniques has resulted in inconsistent patterning and upper limitations on pattern size, particularly for flexible substrates. There is a need for selectively forming micron scale features on substrates in a consistent manner, particularly for large patterns with small feature sizes and particularly for flexible substrates, without the use of photolithography.